Ekbalco

Just back from a hectic weekend which began at Ascot on Saturday,then onto the O2 for the ATP Tennis on the Sunday and Monday and finally onto a first visit to leafy Lingfield yesterday.

At Ascot the superlative Master Minded put in a jumping display that is rarely bettered and had Alberta's Run well cooked when the latter departed.The performance shed no light on his ability to perform to his mark beyond 2m,but in this form he would almost certainly regain his crown in the speed chasers division.Silviano Conti continued his phenomenal rise through the hurdling ranks - and he's still unfurnished in my view - although  would countenance caution at taking this form at face value.Zaynar ran like a rusty spanner and is a relcalcitrant individual at the best of times and Karabak is looking increasingly mulish- he is a small,scratty individual lacking scope and it is difficult to envisage where connections will go with him.There were somenice typesin the concluding Bumper,however,the Henderson representative looked trained to the minute and may not go on from here - a nice type to particularly note was Alan Kng's Lord Liath.

The 02 was a wonderful experience - highlights being witnessing the sheer love thast the Tennis crowd has for the great Roger Federer,shaking the hand of the greatest footballer of all time Diego Maradona and being blown away by the sheer physical beauty of Kelly Brook.The arena itself is magnificent and I'm looking forward to returning for the NBA game with my sons in the new year.

Very much enjoyed the delights of Leafy and it's always enhanced when one has a terrific day's punting.We enjoyed a huge slice of luck in the Novice Chase,followed up with our best bet of the day, Recession Proof, and finished with a Maximum Back of a 1.2 shot at 1.67.

A wonderful day's racing today - concentrate your Lays on the 12.50/2.15/3.25/3.55 and your Backs on the 1.30/1.40/2.05/2.25/5.35/6.05.

Look to go short on the Chepstow Favs and the Lingfield Distances.

And, lest we forget ,the greatest sporting contest starts this evening, so an all nighter will be the name of the game.Our strategy has been out there for a while so get ready to back England for a Series win after the 1st Test whatever the result and have a little babble on Bell/Collingwood for 1st Test Topbat and Broad for 1st Test England most wickets.
The housekeeper is at this very moment creating a Ham & Pea soup and baking some Cheesey Straws to sustain one through the evening - the smell is divine.

Good look to most and always eat well.

Tomorrow heralds possibly the worst day's racing in the history of the noble sport - appalling fayre with only the 3.10 holding the slightest bit of interest for us.

A nasty day on the cricket with the Kiwis rediscovering the backbone that has been absent from their game for so long.The Pakistanis also showing some unrecognisable fight and delaying the inevitable - I would expect thjem to collapse tomorrow and the the Saffers to win somewhere around tea.
An astonishing performance from Chris Gayle over in Galle with a double century on Day 1 which has made the game an almost certain Draw as the Windies paper thin attach will not be able to capture 20 wickets against the powerful Shree batting.

For starters tonight I had a Chicken Liver & Mushroom Pate with Plum Chutters,a main course of Ham Hock,Mashed Pots and Butter Beans mixed with minted Petit Pois and followed by a Fig Crumble with Vanilla Custard.
Having a break from the booze on Doc's orders so just the San Pellegrino and a cheroot.

May your chips always be golden.

Eat well.

Just finished going through tomorrow's cards and it's a quiet day after the weekend tumult.

Races to concentrate on tomorrow for Backers are the 12.50/1.40/1.50 and 2.00.

Races to concentrate on for Layers are the 3.30.

In-Running Backers should remember the Plumpton rules for the 2.30 and 3.30.

We're well positioned in the cricket to land the Simple No Fuss Max Cricket Double - the Saffers are home and hosed barring outrageous fortune with the weather and India will test the Kiwis batting resolve to the limit tomorrow(they will have to bat for 100 overs second dig to have a chance of saving the game).

May your cauliflower never be hard.

Eat well.

Another super day's sport at the foot of Cleeve Hill - with lots of animals to go in the notebook for the future.
Blue Riband to Menorah of course and we may look back on this as the hurdling performance of the season - the 8/1 on offer re. the Champion looks at least 2 points too big - with the prospect of better ground come the Spring sure to suit and with an already established penchant for the track - he looks the first play in the Champion market and a big play at that.
Another to particularly note back in the field was Lush Life who ran a lovely seasonal opening and will be primed next time, hopefully over fences where he could go right to the very top.
Gauvain surprised in the big Chase and it will be interesting to see how he is now campaigned for the rest of the season from the trainer of the moment Nick Williams.Forpady is now starting to look doggy and it would be no surprise to see blinkers applied - on these terms he really should have won this race.
The opening nov chase was blinder and won in convincing style by Ghizao who'll be back for the Arkle.Captain Chris jumped well on the stiffest of debuts over fences,though strikes me as the type of horse to fall between two stools - not enough speed for the Arkle and not enough stamina for the Sun Alliance.
The concluding Bumper contained some lovely types - the winner Rock on Ruby looks a fab prospect at all codes of the game and the Henderson horse Cucumber Run will certainly more than pay his way.

Elsewhere our usual profit machine of the In-Running Steeplechase Inside Track at Fontwell paid off in spades with Kappelhoff and PeS securing the golden rail.
Tullymure Dew had to do no more than jump round,but is a lovely chasing type and could run up a sequence that ends in a decent handicap chase somewhere.

In Ireland Solwhit was good and is back on track and the winner of the big novice chase,The gr8johnbrowne, looks a beautiful jumping machine that can mop up these staying Irish big money novice chase before getting turned over at short odds at Chelters come March.

Just having a Shepherds Pie this evening with baby carrots and pumpy peas followed by a Rhoobarb Crumble made by Mrs.McGuffie from the Post Office.
The usual Old Speckled and San Pellegrino of course.

Eat well.

The maid had got Skimmed rather than Semi the previous evening, so the Alpen didn't taste quite so this morning.Last night's Grouse has left a burning message in the old thorax so it's a morning of Gaviscon and Milk of Magnesia for me.
The RP has arrived along with the Forester's best friend - the Sunday Times - so I'll have a quiet hour with those two before I get down to some serious work.
Two wonderful Test Matches taking place at the moment and we're well positioned in both - so it should be an enjoyable morning in front of the goggle box watching Rupert's goldmine.

Thoughts from yesterday - I don't think Long Run's KG chances were compromised at all and I'm surprised to learn the enemy have pushed him out to 7/1 - he jumped better than the last time at Chelters,but still lacked fluency at the obstacles.As I said yesterday - this is a harder test for Long Run than the KG and his Feltham win at Kempton still burns bright in the memory.It looks like the undulating Chelters circuit does not suit and the return to flat,R/H,Kempton will be perfect.Still strong on the KG.
Mad Max ran a terrific race on a course that doesn't particularly suit and this magnificent physical specimen looks set for a fruitful campaign for the great man.
The great Davy Russell landed a hat-rick in Ireland and the last of the 3 - Beautiful Sound - looks one to keep a close eye on - his action would suggest that he would go on the Psomme.
Lingfield continues to provide juicy prices for In-Running Backers and Layers - with the prominent latter being too short and the hold-up former too long.

For today - concentrate for your Backs on the 3.30/3.40 and 4.00 and for your Lays on the 12.20/1.00/2.00/2.35/3.10/3.20

Good look to all - may your bacon always be crispy.

Eat well.